Dispensing device



Sept. 19, 1939. F. A. LEWIS 2,173,537

DI SPEN S ING DEVICE Filed June 6, 1938 I a I w L 21 34 4 f- 5250 ,4.Law/s ATTO R N EYS Patented Sept. 19, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in dispensing devicesand more especially to an improved dispenser for packaged dividedproducts, such as soap chips and the like.

It is presently customary to include perforated or at least easily tornsections in tops of containers or packages for divided goods, wherebythe perforated or easily torn section can be pierced, bent in orremoved, as the case may be to facilitate removal of contents from thepackage.

This type of package is disadvantageous, however, in that theperforation, bending in or tearing away of a portion of the top of thepackage exposes the unused contents to possible deterioration byentrance of foreign matter through the opening.

Another disadvantage of this type of package is that the user must tipor turn the package in order to remove the contents therefrom andinasmuch as in use of packaged soaps and the like, the users hands areoften wet, the package at least and sometimes the contents, soon becomesdamaged by the moisture.

A still further disadvantage is that often too much of the product ispoured from the opening whereby waste of the material results,

It is among the more important objects of the present invention toprovide a novel dispenser for divided material adapted to function incooperation with containers or packages for facilitating removal ofdivided materials from said packages or containers.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel dispenseradapted to engage with openings formed in packages or containers forfacilitating removal of selected quantities of material from saidcontainer whereby, when not in use, the opening of said container isobstructed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dispenser ofthe type hereinbefore indicated which is suited to home use and whichcan be easily but removably mounted upon a wall or upright support. 1

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dispensermechanism having a slide valve obstructing the orifice thereof which isself-sealing, that is to say is associated with resilient actuatingmechanism whereby the sliding valve member is moved into positionobstructing the opening when the device is not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispenser mechanismadapted to use with packages of divided material, said packages being ofdifferent sizes and of different shapes.

An important advantage of the novel dispensing mechanism according tothe present invention is its simplicity and ruggedness of constructionwhereby it is suited to the requirements of mass production duringmanufacture and whereby the cost of repair or replacement is at leastlargely minimized.

' Another advantage of the dispenser according to the present inventionis that the moving parts thereof are arranged whereby there is littlelikelihood of sticking or jamming during use through 10 accumulation ofdivided material in the bearings of the moving parts, whereby theutility of the device, as compared with dispensers according to certainprior art inventions, is materially enhanced. 5

Among the important features of the dispenser according to the presentinvention is that it is provided with a bracket mounting of a type whichfacilitates firm and secure holding of the device during use but whichpermits quick and easy re. 20 moval thereof when desired. Other objects,advantages and features of the device according to the present inventionwill be apparent to those skilled in the art during the course of thefollowing description. 25

Regarded in certain of its broader aspects, the present inventioncomprises a horizontally sup= ported plate having adjustablehorizontally extending piercing fingers mounted thereon adapted toengage with packages of material and having 30 an orifice formed thereinand adapted to cocperate with an opening formed in said package fordischarge of said contents of said package therefrom, said orifice beingprovided with a sliding valve mounted on said plate for, upon occasion,35 obstructing said orifice when it is desired not to discharge contentsfrom said package, said valve being spring pressed into closed positionwhen not in use.

In order to facilitate a fuller and more com- 40 plete understanding ofthe present invention, a specific embodiment thereof will be hereinafterdescribed, it beingclearly understood, however, that the illustratedembodiment is given solely by way of example and is non-limitative uponthe 45 scope of the present invention, except as expressed in thesubjoined claims.

Referring then to the drawing:

Figure 1 is substantially a side elevational View of the now preferredembodiment of the present 5 invention, showing same mounted on anupright support and engaged with a package.

Figure 2 is substantially a front elevational view of the dispenser andpackage illustrated in Figure 1. 55

Figure 3 is substantially a top plan view of the now preferredembodiment of the dispenser mechanism according to the presentinvention.

Figure 4 is substantially a vertical sectional View of Figure 3 takenalong the line 4-4.

Figure 5 is substantially a vertical sectional view of Figure 3 takenalong the line 55, and

Figure 6 is substantially a perspective view of the supporting bracket.

Referring now especially in Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted that thedispenser according to the present invention, generally designated bythe numeral Ill, comprises an essentially fiat substantially rectangularplate M having one end l2 bent downwardly relative to said plate andsubstantially at right angles thereto and having the opposite end l3bent upwardly and also substantially at right angles to said plate.

The up-turned edge portion 53 is provided with inwardly extendingpointed fingers l5 and i5 disposed adjacent but above the plate i i. Atransversely extending slo-t i7 formed near the center of theessentially rectangular plate H serves as guide-way for the slidingadjustable gripping means generally designated by the numeral 58, saidgripping means comprising a slidable plate 19 having a raised pointedend portion 28, positioned adjacent but above the plate H, and aformation 2! on the opposite end thereof having a projecting portion 22engageable with the slot I'i whereby the plate l9, when held inengagement with the plate H by means of the screw 23 and wing-nut 24, isadapted to slide in said slot whereby a package can be engaged with thehorizontally extending pointed fingers l5, l6 and 23 and said adjustablefinger 29 can be held in position relative to said plate H. In thismanner a package can be positioned upon the plate 8 i and the fingersl5, l5 and 28 engaged with the edge portions of the package whereby saidpackage is held substantially firmly and in fixed relation-. ship tosaid plate. The plate H is provided with an orifice 25 in a localitybetween the fingers l5, IS and 29, said orifice being preferablycentrally located and being substantially circular in outline.

The closure or valve member 26 slidingly mounted in channel formations2? and 28 formed from a portion of the plate H is provided to at leastlargely obstruct the orifice 25. The closure member 26 is provided witha downwardly extending handle portion 29 for facilitating slidingmovement of said closure, said handle portion 29 being adapted to abutagainst end portions of the channels 2'11 and 28 whereby movement ofsaid closure toward the edge l2 of the plate H is limited.

In order to facilitate holding the closure member in positionobstructing the orifice 25 when the device is not in use, a U-shapedclip 353, mounted in portions 35 and 32 of the plate H, is provided andengages with a spring 33 attached to a struck-out portion 34 of thesliding valve 26 whereby said spring 33 normally urges said closure 26into position obstructing the orifice 25. It will be noted that a stopis provided on the end portion of the closure member 26 and abutsagainst a portion of the U-shaped clip 38 when the closure is moved intoextended or opened position, substantially as shown in phantom in Figure4.

It will be noted that the downwardly bent marginal end portion i2 of theplate H is formed whereby its width at the top is greater than its widthat the bottom edge thereof. This end por tion [2 is receivable inchannels 40 and 4| formed by bent edge portions 42 and 43 respectivelyof the plate 44, said channels being arranged obliquely relative to eachother, adapted to conform with the outline of the edge portion [2 of theplate ll. Openings 45 and 46 are formed in the plate 44 and are suitedto receive fastening means for holding the plate 44 upon an uprightsupport. A protrusion 41? formed in the plate 44 is adapted to engagewith a part of the end portion of the plate I I when said end portion ispositioned in engagement with the edge parts 42 and 43 of said plate 46whereby the parts are firmly but removably held in engagement.

In use, referring now especially to Figures 1 and 2, the device issupported on an upright, such as the surface A, by engagement offastening means B with the plate 34 hereinbefore described. A package ofdivided material C, having an opening formed in the top thereofalignable With the orifice 25 formed in the plate l I, is thenpositioned with the end havirg the opening facing upwardly and theprongs or fingers l5, l6 and 26 are engaged with edge portions of thepackage whereby the package and the plate H are engaged with the orifice25 in alignment with the opening in the bent end. The wing-nut 24 andscrew 23 are then adjusted whereby sliding movement of the plate Itrelative to the plate II is precluded and the package together with theplate H is inverted and the end portion of said plate engaged with edgeportions 42 and 43 and the plate d4 mounted, as hereinbefore described,on the support A. t will be noted then that the plate 8 l is disposedsubstantially horizontally and that the contents of the package C can bedischarged through the opening or orifice 25 of the plate H by movingthe closure 26, preferably by means of the handle 29, whereby theorifice is left unobstructed. It is to be noted that when the handle 29is not held in extended position, the spring 33, associated with theU-shaped spring clip 38, will at least tend to move the closure 26 intoposition obstructing the opening 25 whereby discharge of packagecontents through said opening is precluded.

It is to be noted that the dispenser according to the present inventionprovides means for discharging contents from packages withoutnecessitating handling of the packages proper, and also provides meansfor minimizing waste of material by automatically closing the dischargeorifice of the dispenser when same is not held in opened position by theuser.

It is to be understood that this improvement is capable of extendedapplication and is not confined to the exact showing of the drawing norto the precise construction described and, therefore, such changes andmodifications may be made therein as do not affect the spirit of theinvention nor exceed the scope thereof as expressed in the appendedclaims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dispenser of the type described for packaged divided materialscomprising an essentially fiat, rectangular plate; means for supportingsaid plate; means for holding a package on said plate comprising a bentmarginal portion; pointed relatively stationary fingers extending inspaced parallelism relative to said plate toward the opposite endthereof, formed integral with and of a part of said bent marginalportion of said plate; an adjustable pointed finger extending in spacedparallelism relative to said plate and pointing in a direction oppositeto said stationary fingers,

slidably mounted in a transverse slot formed in said plate, whereby apackage can be held on said plate by engagement of said fingerstherewith; said plate having a discharge orifice formed therein in thelocality normally positioned beneath the package; means for controllingpassage of materials through said orifice comprising a closure,slidingly mounted in essentially parallel channel formations madeintegral with and of the substance of said plate, adapted, when inclosed position, to rest beneath and obstruct said orifice; a handle onsaid closure for facilitating sliding motion thereof; and means forholding said closure in closed position when the dispenser is not inuse.

2. A dispenser of the type described for packaged divided materialscomprising an essentially fiat, rectangular plate; means for supportingsaid plate; means for holding a package on said plate comprising a bentmarginal portion, distal relative to said lug and extending in theopposite direction; pointed relatively stationary fingers, extending inspaced parallelism relative to said plate toward said lug, formedintegral with and of a part of said bent marginal portion of said plate;an adjustable pointed finger extending in spaced parallelism relative tosaid plate and pointing in a direction opposite to said stationaryfingers, slidably mounted by means including a threaded screw and wingnut, in a slot formed in said plate extending transversely from a placenear the lug-carrying end toward the opposite end, whereby a package canbe held on said plate by engagement of said fingers therewith andtightening of said screw and wing nut; said plate having a dischargeorifice formed therein in the locality between the fingers; means forcontrolling passage of materials through said orifice comprising aclosure, slidingly mounted in essentially parallel channel formationsmade integral with and of the substance of said plate,

adapted when in closed position, to rest beneath and obstruct saidorifice; a handle on said closure for facilitating sliding motionthereof; and means for holding said closure in closed position when thedispenser is not in use.

3. A dispenser of the type described for packaged divided materialscomprising an essentially flat, rectangular plate; means for supportingsaid plate; means for holding a package on said plate comprising a bentmarginal portion, distal relative to said lug and extending in theopposite direction; pointed relatively stationary fingers, extending inspaced parallelism relative to said plate toward said lug, formedintegral with and of a part of said bent marginal portion of said plate;an adjustable pointed finger extending in spaced parallelism relative tosaid plate and pointing in a direction opposite tosaid stationaryfingers, slidably mounted by means including a threaded screw and wingnut, in a slot formed in said plate extending transversely from a placenear the lug-carrying end toward the opposite end, whereby a package canbe held on said plate by engagement of said fingers therewith andtightening of said screw and Wing nut; said plate having a dischargeorifice formed therein in the locality between the fingers; means forcontrolling passage of materials through said orifice comprising aclosure, slidingly mounted in essentially parallel channel formationsmade integral with and of the substance of said plate, adapted when inclosed position, to rest beneath and obstruct said orifice; a handlecomprising a bent edge portion of said closure for facilitating slidingmotion thereof, and means for holding said closure in closed positionwhen the dispenser is not in use, comprising a spring, mounted at oneend on said closure and at the opposite end on a U-shaped clip, attachedto said plate and positioned circumjacent said orifice.

FRED A. LEWIS.

